Is there any better way to express your Irish side than serving Irish food recipes to friends and family? We can't think of one! We would like to share some of our favorite Irish recipes with you, as well! We'll start with some quick information about the traditional Irish diet and then describe some of our favorite Irish meals.

The Traditional Irish Diet

Much like her people, Ireland’s traditional foods are straightforward, hearty and thrifty.

Historically,
many Irish people (particularly those in the countryside) were not
particularly prosperous, so most traditional Irish dishes evolved from
an assortment of inexpensive, basic ingredients.

Grains such as
oats and barley have always been a staple on the island. A vegetable
garden was part of many Irish households, and thanks to the Celts’
arrival around 500 B.C., sheep and pigs became common throughout the
island. And fish were always available along the long Irish coastline.

The
Spanish conquered much of South America in the 1500s, and they brought
the potato back with them when they returned to Europe. It quickly made
its way to Ireland, where it became an important part of the Irish diet –
especially in the Irish countryside.

Because these were the foods
that were readily available and relatively inexpensive, many
traditional Irish food recipes use grains, potatoes, vegetables, dairy, and
lamb, pork or fish as their core ingredients.

Enough about Irish history - let's talk about Irish food recipes!

We'll start by describing the basic daily meals. We'll offer links at the end of this section to take you to specific recipes.

An Irish Breakfast

A
fry-up can include almost anything you have in the kitchen – from eggs,
potatoes and bacon or sausage (or both!) to tomatoes, mushrooms,
cabbage, leeks, garlic and onions. You’ll want to serve it with
fried bread or buttered toast (I suggest wheat or potato bread) and a
pot of steaming hot tea.

You couldn’t ask for a more traditional Irish
breakfast because all the ingredients (except for the tea) could be
found on a typical Irish farm. Some Irish cooks add a side of baked
beans, like their British neighbors.

A full Irish fry-up is
filling and will keep you going for hours. If you’d prefer a lighter
Irish breakfast, just whip up some Irish soda bread. It’s yummy and very
easy to make.

For several different Irish soda bread recipes, and many other Irish foods, have a look at our section on
Irish recipes.

An Irish Lunch

A
flavorful leek and potato soup is a great opportunity to fill your
belly while warming your entire body on a cold winter’s day.

Leeks have
been on the Emerald Isle for many centuries (invading Normans and
British brought them to Ireland), and they add a tasty touch to
traditional Irish potato soup.

Serve it with some bread and you have a
simple but hearty Irish lunch.

An Irish Dinner

A traditional Irish dinner always
includes some type of meat and vegetables. A good example is Irish
bacon and cabbage.

A lot of non-Irish people associate corned beef and
cabbage with Ireland, but bacon and cabbage is a much more traditional
Irish meal.

The Irish have always been thrifty, and “waste not,
want not” has long been a byword on the island.

Bacon and cabbage is a
traditional Irish dinner that allows Irish cooks to combine leftovers
into a scrumptious meal.

An Irish Dessert

Apples
are one of the few fruits that grow well in the Irish climate, and
apple trees are found all over Ireland. The ancient Celts believed apple
trees were under the protection of one of their most powerful
goddesses.

Apple pie is a traditional Irish dessert, and many
Irish cooks have their own “secret recipe” that’s been handed down from
mother to daughter for countless generations.

If you’d like to try
a traditional Irish dessert that’s a bit more unusual than apple pie,
consider a Carrigaline whiskey pie (made with potatoes and Irish
whiskey, among other ingredients).

Irish Beverages

Apple cider,
served warmed or cold depending on the season, is a non-alcoholic
favorite. But I could never talk about Irish beverages without
mentioning Irish coffee, with its tot of Irish whiskey and dollop of
whipped cream. It’s the perfect beverage to follow a traditional Irish
dinner.

Other traditional Irish beverages for later in the day
include a shot of aged Irish whiskey or a pint (or two) of Guinness
stout or Harp lager. Whiskey has been a part of life on the Emerald Isle
for at least 1,000 years, and Irish mead (made from honey) was an early
forerunner of ale and stout. You can’t get much more traditional than
that.

Hungry? Us too!

We have enjoyed
sharing some of our favorite Irish food recipes with you. Many of the foods we've shared here can be found in our section on
Irish recipes.
Feel free to click and have a look.

But don't stop with food... There are many more Irish expressions to explore! Choose another topic to continue your journey with Irish-Expressions.com.